Northampton husband and wife accused of sex attacks made victims' 'only focus in life' crack cocaine, court hears

Briar Hill husband and wife Nicholas and Joan Taylor appeared at Leicester Crown Court for the first day of a lengthy trial in which they stand accused of 103 offences ranging from the rape of children, to supplying class A drugs to others and charges relating to indecent photographs of a child.

Opening the prosecution case yesterday, David Herbert QC went into detail about the 11 alleged victims, 10 of whom were under the age of 16 a the time of the offending.

Mr Herbert said that on one occasion a victim, who he said was coerced into drug addiction by Nicholas Taylor after being injected with amphetamines, was driven out to a lay-by on the A43 and made to carry out sexual acts on another man against her will.

He said: "She made it clear she simply didn't want to perform these acts. She felt thoroughly dirty as to what she was made to do."

Another boy victim, the court heard, was gradually induced into carrying out sex acts on both Nicholas and Joan Taylor after first being introduced to crack cocaine.

Mr Herbert QC told the court how the victim had become addicted to the class A drug and was made to carry out depraved acts, some of which were filmed, in return for its supply.

"Since he was gripped he stopped caring about himself, his only focus in life at that time was crack cocaine and how he could get his hands on more," Mr Herbert QC, said.

"It is in this state, we say, he was sexually abused."

He added: "The defendants were controlling the drugs and the drugs were controlling him."

Others were made to carry out sex acts on Nicholas Taylor while he smoked crack cocaine himself, the court was told. Another victim was driven out to a woods on the edge of Northampton and forced to carry out sex acts on another man, the jury heard.

Nicholas Taylor denies 10 counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, 11 of sexual activity with a child, five of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity,

one of indecent assault, six offences of assault by penetration, 13 counts of rape, 13 charges of indecency with a child, one of taking an indecent photograph, three of causing a child to watch sexual activity, an attempted rape, six of supplying Class A drugs, one of child cruelty, one of assault and one of another serious sexual offence.

His wife has pleaded not guilty to three counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, four of sexual activity with a child, eight of rape, one of sexual assault, six of indecency with a child, two of taking an indecent photograph and six of supplying drugs.